1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for treating textile material. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for treating textile material with a fluid.
2. Technical Considerations and Prior Art
In the textile industry, it is a current practice to treat textile material while in yarn form with fluids that are impinged upon the yarn as the yarn is advanced through a chamber. Generally, for the purposes of this application, the term "yarn" includes any continuous length of textile material, regardless of its structure, that is subsequently made into textile fabrics. The yarn can be composed of a single filament, a thread which is made of fibers by processes such as twisting and interlacing, or any other arrangement. There may, of course, be numerous filaments or threads or, perhaps, just a single filament or thread.
Since the present invention is concerned with fluid treatment, the term "fluid" as used in this application is defined as a gaseous or liquid substance which may contain a dye or agents, such as anti-static agents, anti-stain agents, oiling agents, optical blueing agents, or softening agents. In addition, the fluid may contain agents such as ultra-violet absorbers, non-flammability chemicals, dye inhibitors, or fixing agents. In addition, the application of fluid includes the concept of injecting water with the fluid containing any or some of the above-described agents. All of these agents and chemicals are exemplary of the agents and chemicals which are, and may be, used to treat yarns in accordance with the processes and apparatus utilized in practicing the instant invention.
The prior art discloses several patents which are concerned with treating yarn with a fluid while the yarn is advanced through the chamber. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,728 discloses a process in which the yarn is treated in a curling or crimping chamber with a liquid, such as a dye or an oil, which is introduced into the chamber by an orifice and the flow of which is regulated by a valve provided with a manual regulating button. The treating liquid is injected into the curling or crimping chamber through an adjustable nozzle. However, with this device, uniform treatment of the yarn is not adequately achieved because there is heterogeneity of the dyeing process due to heterogeneity of temperature. In addition, the fixation of the oil or dye is not adequate due to insufficient heat treatment of the yarn. Finally, the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,728 permits the yarn to be dyed only one color.
French Pat. No. 1,499,744 discloses a device wherein the yarn is advanced through a treatment chamber while being dyed with a periodic pattern by impinging the dye on the yarn variably with a jacquard type mechanism of a weaving or knitting frame which is placed directly downstream from the yarn treatment chamber. In this device, the dye is fixed to the yarn while the yarn is in the chamber. This device is rather difficult to control and has the deficiency that there is no means for draining the dye from the chamber which, consequently, results in difficulties in fixing the dye to the yarn. Since there is a great deal of dye on the yarn, it is most difficult to increase the temperature of the yarn to a level allowing fixation of the dye.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,644,969 and 3,751,778, which are assigned to the inventors of the instant invention, it is proposed to fabricate textured yarn at high speed, while simultaneously treating the yarn with a finishing agent or dye solution. In order to provide for this simultaneous treatment, it is necessary to use a fluid distribution device which has great flexibility in handling and operation. A successful fluid treatment device used in conjunction with the teachings of these patents ideally should be relatively compact, have few moving parts, be reliable and resist corrosion by various chemical agents present in fabrication plants. These features are especially important when processing yarn to obtain treated yarn having variable characteristics.
The apparatus proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,728 and French Pat. No. 1,499,744 do not meet the afore-described requirements for a fluid distribution device because they disclose mechanical structures which require constant maintenance. In addition, the output adjustments are not satisfactory in that the adjustments disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,854,728 are manual, and those described in French Pat. No. 1,499,744, while programmed, require a relatively large jacquard type mechanism which is not as reliable as desired. In addition, the fluid distribution devices of these prior patents are not responsive enough to be compatible with high speed operation in which fluid distribution must be varied rapidly.